


The Slap

by The_Fangirl_Sunstorm



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Haruhi pov, I know this pairing doesn’t have as much chemistry as some of the others in the show, KyoHaru, Soulmate AU, The Ouran School Fair, The author is a sucker for the I don’t care about anyone but I have a soft spot for you trope, This centers around the time Kyoya’s father hits him at the fair, but... what if they did, shared pain soulmate au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:43:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28958898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Fangirl_Sunstorm/pseuds/The_Fangirl_Sunstorm
Summary: Haruhi was about to interrupt Tamaki’s sudden tirade to ask how the blonde had managed to fall in the fountain when the sound of a slap echoed from across the music room and Haruhi felt pain bloom hot and sharp across her cheek. Startled, she did her best to stifle a gasp as her skin stung. Haruhi turned to the sound of the noise, only just stopping herself from lifting a hand to her face to inspect for injury.If the pain had alarmed her, the scene in the middle of the room was much worse. An older man stood over Kyoya with his arm outstretched, while the dark-haired teen bent to retrieve his glasses from the floor. It took only a glance to realize what had happened.The man had hit him.
Relationships: Fujioka Haruhi/Ootori Kyouya
Comments: 8
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to wait and post this all in one go, but instead I decided to post this story as a two-parter. The other half should be up soon.

Unlike her relationship with the other members of the host club, who wormed their way into Haruhi’s life and heart with dizzying speed (in spite of the way they also drove her mad), Haruhi’s friendship with Kyoya was slow-forming. 

At first, the third Ootori son had lived up to his reputation as cold and calculating. The teen was aloof at the best of times and condescending or downright terrifying at the worst of times. Between his frosty exterior and his habit of adding on to Haruhi’s debt, doubling or tripling it seemingly on a whim, it had taken some time for Haruhi to see past the Shadow King’s exterior and recognize that Kyoya was more human than he let on. 

The first time she had seen something unexpected in Kyoya was when he began throwing exasperated looks at her over Tamaki’s shoulder one day. Tamaki had been trying to convince Kyoya to give his latest over-the-top scheme a chance (which involved several thousand pounds of Belgian chocolate and a live ostrich), and the blonde was following Kyoya through the room and shouting wildly. (Something about creative liberties and the ‘ _glory of exotic creatures_ ’ that she had been too annoyed to pay proper attention to.) Since their club activities had ended a while ago, Haruhi had been doing classwork at one of the tables. She looked up from her work, intending to scold the blonde for being so loud while she was studying, when Kyoya caught Haruhi’s attention and rolled his eyes at her. She returned the gesture automatically, but was startled once she absorbed the interaction.

Usually, every move Kyoya made was a calculated one, including his facial expressions, so to see Kyoya making casual faces at her over the blonde’s head was strange at first. Even more surprising was how natural the gesture had felt, as if they were really just friends complaining together, instead of the strange partnership Haruhi’s debt had forced her into. 

For a moment, Haruhi had been genuinely afraid that he was plotting something against her, or trying to catch her off-guard. However, as days passed and nothing terrible happened to her, Haruhi began to consider that Kyoya was actually being genuine for once. Eventually, she relaxed, and soon it became a habit for them to look at each other first whenever the other hosts did something outrageous, (which meant that they were looking at each other constantly on most days.) Haruhi didn’t take this for granted, she knew that these casual interactions meant that she had joined the very small circle of people privy to the dark-haired boy’s true moods, and as much as the Shadow King irritated her sometimes, in a way she was kind of touched. 

It wasn’t long before the looks became part of a bigger routine for both of them, dry humor accompanying the action as the pair bonded over their more sensible nature in the face of the rest of the host club’s dramatics. They were unspoken allies against the crazier antics of the twins, Tamaki, and occasionally Honey (though Mori could usually handle him without assistance); and Haruhi began to look to Kyoya for solace amidst the chaos of hosting. (Which in her mind just showed how absolutely bonkers the rest of the club members were. Only in a place like this would anyone go to _Kyoya_ for comfort.)

Haruhi never expected to have something in common with the dark-haired host, but as she began to spend more time around him, and their relationship progressed from looks to casual conversation, she recognized another familiar trait. It wasn’t often that Kyoya talked about his ambition to surpass his brothers, but Haruhi had seen the glint in his eye enough times to recognize it as the same one she had when she talked about becoming a lawyer. It was a look that spoke of steel and conviction. Of the drive to succeed at all costs. She respected him for it, and this became another thing the two shared. 

Then had come the beach trip, and if she hadn’t already realized all of the other hosts' protectiveness over her before then, well their reactions to her confrontation with the men and her fall off the cliff had certainty been an eye opening experience. Between the twins' anger and Tamaki’s hovering she hadn’t known whether to be grateful, or to drown them in the ocean for being overbearing.

Most surprising however, had been Kyoya’s reaction. Haruhi recalled the way he had tried to make her uncomfortable, the dim lighting as he hovered over her on the bed. His proposition ‘ _Pay me back with your body.’_

He had done his best to offend her, but Haruhi felt no fear when she looked at him. Despite the circumstances, a part of her knew that he would not touch her, would not hurt her in any way. The feeling ran deep, deeper than she could explain. She had told him as much, and after a moment, he had let her go. She had been right of course, but afterwards she brushed it off as good instinct and nothing more. 

She had always had a talent for reading people, hence why she could tell Hikaru and Karou apart when no one else could, but this felt different somehow. More _basic,_ like a fact she had always known but forgotten. The conviction ran strong even after the incident, but as time passed she did her best to put it out of her mind. 

Her trip to the mall with the grumpy teen over vacation had proved both her theories about him right. Kyoya was shrewd, but he was also capable of kindness. It seemed obvious now, that there was more to him than the cold front he first displayed. How could she have once only thought of him as cold? Try as he might to hide it, Kyoya had a good heart. 

In spite of the trust the pair had built, Haruhi had never dreamt that their relationship could extend beyond grudging friendship, which is why the Ouran School Fair took her by surprise. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 as promised! Turns out, this will not be the final chapter. I’m going to write at least one more. For now, enjoy this one.

After a few months at Ouran, Haruhi felt it was safe to say that she’d expected the School Fair to be a grand event, (and by grand she meant _lavish and over-the-top_ , at least as far as the Host Club would be concerned.) True to form, Tamaki had instructed Kyoya to spare no expense in planning the event, and though Haruhi was relieved that they seemed to have taken a more subtle approach (as opposed to full cosplay or something equally elaborate), today’s festivities still reflected the desire to impress. 

Music room number three was even more crowded than usual, and the faint smell of roses seemed to hang in the air as the other hosts refilled glasses and greeted new guests with enchanting smiles, melting the hearts of female patrons with practiced ease. Trays of sweets and beautifully crafted tea sets adorned every table and the chatter of guests filled the room. A few gambling games had even been set up by Kyoya to score some extra cash, and to win over some of the fathers whose attention may otherwise have expired too soon, and so far everything was going according to plan.

Judging by the excited squealing that broke out from the gossiping women every few minutes and the swell of noise coming from the gambling table, the event was going to go off without a hitch. Haruhi allowed herself a smile at the thought before returning her gaze to the school’s chairman —Tamaki’s father— who sat beside her on one of the red couches that bordered the club’s fountain. Haruhi made polite small talk with the older man, who offered her a rose and grabbed her hand as his son grew more and more frantic in the background. 

From behind the couch, Haruhi heard a sudden splash, and she turned to see Tamaki dripping wet with an expression of utter indignation on his face. She tuned out his words of protest in favor of looking the teen up and down in surprise.

Haruhi was about to interrupt Tamaki’s sudden tirade to ask how the blonde had managed to fall in the fountain when the sound of a slap echoed from across the music room and Haruhi felt pain bloom hot and sharp across her cheek. Startled, she did her best to stifle a gasp as her skin stung. Haruhi turned to the sound of the noise, only just stopping herself from lifting a hand to her face to inspect for injury. 

If the pain had alarmed her, the scene in the middle of the room was much worse. An older man stood over Kyoya with his arm outstretched while the dark-haired teen bent to retrieve his glasses from the floor. It took only a glance to realize what had happened. 

The man had _hit_ him.

“Kyoya- senpai.” Haruhi spoke without thinking, all thoughts of herself temporarily forgotten. A few women let out muffled gasps, and the chatter in the room halted as the guests absorbed the spectacle. Haruhi and the other hosts rose from their seats, gravitating towards each other on instinct at the sight.

“That’s kyo-chan’s father isn’t it?” Honey asked.

“Yes.” Mori replied from beside the shorter boy. 

_His father?_ Haruhi thought with surprise. She looked at the older man and sure enough, the resemblance was easy to see. The man, _Mr. Ootori,_ had the same dark hair and glasses, though his face was more wrinkled and somehow seemed crueler than his son’s even from a distance. 

“Is this how my son has been wasting his time?” The older Ootori spoke coldly, heedless of the attention his actions had attracted from the crowd. “You are an embarrassment to the Ootori name.”

Faced with the eyes of the entire club on him, Kyoya remained silent as he put his glasses back on and rose to his feet. His expression was carefully composed as he adjusted the frames on his face, one cheek glaringly red from the impact of the blow. Haruhi raised a hand to her own cheek, where the sudden wave of pain was ebbing quickly away as soon as it had appeared. Her eyes widened as she absorbed what that meant. 

The pain wasn’t her’s. It was _his_.

Shock washed over her at the revelation as she watched Mr. Ootori walk away from his son without so much as a second glance, stopping in front of Tamaki’s father. The pair seemed to discuss something, but the exchange was too quiet for Haruhi to hear as she and the other hosts walked past them to join Kyoya in the center of the room.

Tamaki was the first to break the silence, concern plain on his face. He was their leader even in this, and he knew Kyoya best. The blonde spoke softly and with care.

“Kyoya, are you alright?” 

“You’re dad is so mean.” Hikaru said, clutching his twins hands for reassurance.

“You should never ever hit someone who’s wearing glasses.” Honey chimed in. 

“I don’t think it’s really about that.” Kaoru said. 

Meanwhile, Haruhi struggled to take in Kyoya’s unreadable expression. _What was he thinking? Was there any way he could know what had just happened?_ She let her hand drop quickly from her cheek to her side, hoping that no one had noticed the action. 

“Senpai he wasn’t upset with you cause of the host club, was he?” Haruhi asked, then winced, wishing she hadn’t spoken. The last thing she needed was for him to look at her and see the conflict on her face. Kyoya was too perceptive, he would know that something was wrong. She heard Tamaki gasp beside her at her words before Kyoya brushed past both of them.

Without looking back the teen replied “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like I haven’t been expecting this.”

She vaguely registered the dark-haired boy waving off the other host’s concerns before walking to another area of the music room. Meanwhile, Haruhi was reeling.

_She had felt Kyoya’s pain._

Haruhi tried desperately to remember what she could about pain-related soul bonds. Though her dad had gushed about soulmates all the time growing up, the girl was hard-pressed to remember the details. It had never felt like it would matter before. Most kids at least had some sign of their soulmate by high school, and her lack of symptoms had all but convinced the girl that she didn’t have a soulmate at all. It had never bothered her before, so this sudden revelation blindsided her.

_She had a soulmate. And not just any soulmate, Kyoya Ootori. The shadow king of Ouran Highschool._

_How is this possible?_ She thought to herself. There was no chance Kyoya-senpai was her soulmate. 

_And yet,_ there was no denying it. He had been hurt and she had felt it. Her breath stuttered and she forced herself to relax. Haruhi was supposed to be hosting after all, there was no need to involve any of the guests (or the other hosts for that matter) in her personal crisis.

From the side of the room a girl called Haruhi’s name. “Coming.” She replied as she joined the group. Though the other hosts had never explicitly discussed what to do in the event of drama like what had just happened between Kyoya and his father, Haruhi figured some damage control was in order. She would have to be extra charming, to leave the ladies with a good impression after what they saw. The brunette set her jaw and fixed an easy smile on her face, determined to contain her turbulent thoughts.“Thank you all so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit us today.” She told them. 

For now, sorting out what had happened, and how she felt about it would have to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Remember to keep an eye out for chapter 3.
> 
> Kudos, comments, and constructive criticism are all welcome.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope some of you stick around for part two.
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, and constructive criticism are all welcome.


End file.
